[5/5]Korea Unpopular Tour Destination in Asia (Written by bloody)

[Vincent(카페지기)]

 

Korea Unpopular Tour Destination in Asia

South Korea is not as attractive as Thailand, Japan and most of other Asian countries as a tourist destination,

 a survey showed.

According to an online survey of 5,050 tourists from the United States, Japan, China, the United Kingdom and

six other nations, South Korea ranked 10th among 14 Asian nations in the category of the most favored places

to travel in the near future.

About 29 percent of the respondents picked South Korea as a place they intend to visit in two years.

Thailand placed first with 57 percent, followed by Hong Kong with 48 percent and Japan with 47 percent.

Visa Asia Pacific and the Pacific Area Travel Association (PATA) jointly conducted the online survey from Feb.

20 to March 2. Visa Korea said there are multiple reasons for South Korea's low popularity as a tourist destination. Many travelers are reluctant to visit the country mainly because of its weaker tourism and culture infrastructure,

higher traveling costs and language barrier, the firm said.

``Respondents chose convenience, scenic views and kindness of people as the strengths of

Thailand's tourism industry,'' it said. ``In comparison with Thailand, Korea has many things to improve upon to

attract foreign tourists. Many foreigners still think it is difficult and costly to travel in Korea.''

According to the Trade Research Institute affiliated with the Korea International Trade Association (KITA),

Korea has abundant cultural resources, but many foreign travelers who once visited the country

showed reluctance to come again due to communication problems and high prices.

The number of Korean travelers overseas rose to 11.6 million in 2006, up 12.6 percent from the previous year,

spending a total of $18.2 billion. But the number of incoming foreign travelers rose just 1.7 percent to

6.15 million over the same period, spending $5.23 billion in the country, the Korea Tourism Organization said.

``Foreign visitors spend more in South Korea than other Asian countries because of high lodging and

food-related expenses,'' a KITA official said. ``The stagnancy in the number of foreign visitors

shows Korea is becoming less attractive as a tourist destination, and there is an urgent need to

improve the tourism environment for foreigners.''

Questions

Q1 - What is the HAN-RYU, and what do you think about it?

Q2 - Many visiters think that Korea is too expensive to eat somehing and stay in.  

      So how about Tae - gu?

Q3 - Where is your favorite place for trip in Korea?

Q4 - What is needed to attract foreigners who visit Korea?

Korean Education System Needs Global Standard

The South Korean education system is producing maladjusted students, said Jinny Oh, a graduate adviser

at the University of California Los Angeles.

American universities have seen an increase in the number of Korean students who fail to adapt

themselves to the schools, according to Oh, a second-generation Korean.

In an interview with The Korea Times, the counselor pointed out the lack of Korean students' communication skills.

``Although Korean students have high TOEFL and GRE scores, they have troubles to communicate

with other students.''

``Moreover, they are not trained to do presentations and not familiar with discussion sessions which

all have to do during classes in the U.S.,'' she said.

For these reasons, she said, few Korean graduate students become teaching assistants. If they did,

according to Oh, it would help them receive scholarships and boost their academic careers.

Korea's tendency to encourage cramming was also mentioned as a contributing factor to the maladjustment

of Koreans in the U.S.

``In order to assimilate with other students, you should be well rounded and understand American culture

before you come here,'' she stressed. `` Korean students here tend to focus only on gaining degrees.

But they are not here only for studies but also to learn how to harmonize with others.''

Oh said Koreans should get away from the misconception that excellent English skills and high academic

scores guarantee success in U.S. schools. ``Language and academic scores are just tools to get

around at U.S universities. Here people give more value to personality than just academic scores,'' she said.

Koreans' personalities can sometimes make it difficult for them to assimilate with others. Having

grown up in a homogeneous society, Korean students tend to be stuck in their ethnic mindset.

``Their circle friends are all too often other Koreans, placing themselves in a comfort zone.

If the students happen to go to areas where few Koreans are around, they tend to face even more difficulty,

'' Oh said. ``They have to remember this is a multicultural society. They have to step out of their boundaries

and go beyond their comfort zones.''

Oh asked Korean students to speak out. ``Many of them are very shy and it gives the impression

they are not confident,'' she said. ``The way humbleness is understood in Korea is totally different how

humbleness is seen in America.''

Lastly, the counselor asked Korean students not to get the wrong idea about psychological counseling.

``Students' health problems and counseling are normal and common in the U.S. Many mentally

distressed students here leave school for treatment,'' Oh said.

She said, ``Korean education does not encourage the expression‎ of emotions of students.

For example, if you cry, Americans say cry more as you vent all your emotion, but in Korea they try to stop them.''

Questions

Q1 - What do you think about this article? agree  or not? 

Q2 - What do you think about those of the students who go to  U.S.A or another country for studying ?

Q3 - If you go there for living and studying, what will you prepare ?   (only language and money?)

[bloody]

헐~ 금방 올라왔네~ 여러분들~ 준비 꼭~~ 하고 오세요,, ^^ 그래서 실력 많이 쌓아요~ ㅎㅎ

[Vincent(카페지기)]

토픽이 안 들어와서 내가 올릴라 그랬는데 ㅋㅋ 시간차 공격 좋았어...참석!!

[bloody]

난 다른사람이 이미 올렸을 거라고 생각을 하고 다음주에나 올라오겠다 생각했는데.. ^^

[Clark]

블러디군 수고했삼~^^ 이번 주제는 나름 신선한데~! 이번주도 정시참석할게요~!

[Teddy~*]

회사의 어린이 날 행사에 곰돌이 탈쓰고 쑈해야된답니다... 날씨도 더운데... ㅠ_ㅜ 살아서 모임에 참석할수있기를 빌어주세요~ ㄴ(^ㅡ^)/

[bloody]

ㅎㅎ 살 제대로 빠지겠어요~ ^^ 엄청 더울듯 한데요... ㅡ,.ㅡ

[JJun(Manager)]

어허... 이거 리플을 너무 안다시네...ㅡㅡ; 토요일날 달고 오시는 거죠? ㅋㅋ

[커밍쑨]

처음입니다.^^

[BYOUNG]

요번 주 참석입니다^^; 정말 많이 쉬었네요. 이러다 짤릴라 ㅠㅜ 토욜날 솰라솰라 많이 할께요 ㅋㅋㅋ

[JJun(Manager)]

이건 저번주 꺼잔아...ㅡㅡ; 몬난놈...ㅡㅡ+

[BYOUNG]

허거덩 ^^;;;;;